A rare case of isolated adrenal metastasis of invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

Introduction: Isolated adrenal metastases of invasive ductal breast carcinoma are extremely rare. We report a case with isolated left adrenal metastases, verified three years after diagnosed breast carcinoma.

Case Outline: A 58-year-old female patient with a right breast tumor, clinically staged as IIIA (T2N2M0) started neoadjuvant anthracycline chemotherapy after biopsy which revealed invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Immunohistochemical findings of tumor biopsy showed hormonal steroid receptors for estrogen and progesterone negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy and partial tumor regression the patient underwent radical mastectomy. Definite histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma. The patient continued treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy to cumulative dose of anthracyclines, postoperative radiotherapy and adjuvant trastuzumab for one year. Three years later abdominal computerized tomography showed tumor in the left adrenal gland as the only metastatic site. Left adrenalectomy was performed and histopathological finding confirmed breast cancer metastases. Postoperatively, the patient received 6 cycles of docetaxel with trastuzumab and continued trastuzumab until disease progression. One year after left adrenalectomy control abdominal computerized tomography showed a right adrenal tumor with retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Treatment with capecitabine was continued for one year, but eventually she developed brain metastasis causing lethal outcome.

Conclusion: In order to better understand metastatic pathways of invasive ductal breast carcinoma, publications of individual patient cases diagnosed with rare metastatic sites should be encouraged. This might improve our understanding of metastatic behavior of breast cancer and stimulate further clinical research.